The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament has directed  the Ministry of Finance not to appropriate funds to the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) until matters surrounding its legality are addressed.

The Executive Director, PIBID, Prof. Florence Isabirye Muranga and officials from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development led by their undersecretary, Ms. Betty Kasimbazi while appearing before PAC on Thursday were informed that the Attorney General had offered an opinion against the independence of the body.

Workers making banana chips one of the products of the initiative.

He instead advised that the Banana Initiative be under the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), an opinion Prof. Muranga has since rejected.

“As long as the status of the PIBID remains quasi-legal-quasi-political, we shall not vote funds for the initiative,” said Hon. Mathias Mpuuga (Masaka Municipality).

Hon. Angeline Osegge, the Chairperson PAC, weighed in on the matter saying that as long as the Initiative’s legal status is not resolved; it remains a private entity not worthy of tax payers’ money.

When MPs put PIBID officials to task on why the entity loathed working under NARO, Prof Muranga said the two entities are operationally incompatible.

“We will not fit in the mandate of another agency because such an initiative would limit us and stifle investment,” Prof. Muranga stated.

Hon. Akello Judith Franca (Agago) said that the entity is not interested in following the law and therefore must suffer financial bankruptcy.

“Since they have unilaterally declared independence from the laws of this country and the opinion of the Attorney General, we will not entertain them,” Hon. Akello said.
On the issue of patents developed under the Initiative using public funds, Hon. Mpuuga assured Prof. Muranga that the patents belong to government.

“You cannot be compensated as long as you patent under government. It [patent] cannot be considered to be yours,” said Hon. Mpuuga. “Then you are going to kill science,” retorted Prof. Muranga adding, “I could have lost my life for the work that I did. I came back from Europe because my life was in danger. This talk that I am using government money to grandiose myself is against my faith.”

The Committee resolved to follow up the matter with the Ministry of Finance and make necessary recommendations.